The new Solution Annealing Furnace and Quench Tank system at IBC’s Franklin, Indiana copper alloys facility positions IBC to expand sales of copper alloy products in existing and new markets.
According to Mark Wolma, President of IBC’s Copper Alloys division: “Our new annealing furnace will dramatically improve repeatability during the annealing process by automating many aspects of annealing that previously were done manually. By removing operator variability, this unit also will improve product consistency and will allow us to deliver to our customers more consistent heat-treated properties from batch to batch across our copper alloy product line.”
Designed and built by HTF Inc., of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, the unit is a gas-fired loader box style furnace that was uniformity tested to AMS2750. This will allow IBC to meet demand for copper alloy products that must be heat treated to AMS-H-6875, API 6A, and ASTM B196 and B194 specifications.
One such industry where copper alloy products generally must meet these and other specifications is the oil and gas industry, which is experiencing growth as evidenced by significantly higher rig counts over the past year.1 IBC currently produces copper alloy products for the oil and gas industry, is seeking to expand sales into that sector.
“The effort by the Copper Alloys team to get this advanced system operational has been exceptional and comes at an important time, as it expands our capabilities and potential reach into key markets for our copper alloy products,” said Major General Duncan Heinz (USMC, ret.), President, CEO, and Director of IBC. “The new furnace will position us to ramp up production for both existing and new customers.”
